Penn State Must Move On from Ohio into UVA Country

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With the extremely disappointing Ohio game behind Penn State, it is time to move onto Charlottesville, to face the Hoos.

Last weeks game was a complete shocker for most of us Nittany Lions fans, the offense was average at best, but most suprisingly, the defense was horrid.

This week, the Lions will have to better in all facets of the game, but there are a few key areas to winning.

Coming into 2012, we all knew the offense was a work in progress. We lost many key players and a new system needed to be implemented, which does not happen overnight. And bluntly between the 20's, while our offense looked very different, with different plays, the result was the same. We got a few first downs, but eventually after a few bad or unproductive plays, a 3rd and long would lead to a punt.

While the WR's should some glimmers of hope, it was basically a dink and dunk offense. We should no propensity to create big plays (but if you go back and look at game film, McGloin missed some WIDE open receivers down field, instead taking the man underneath.

But if we are going to be successful on offense, we have to be able to run and that was not present last Saturday. Which is scary against a team like Ohio, can't imagine what will happen against better teams (like this weekend or against the Big Ten).

The special teams was nothing special. I think the media has put enough attention on the extremely bad call of putting Hodges back to receive punts but even outside of that, the teams created no spark, and we obviously avoided long fields goals (see going for it on 4th and 5, just inside the 50).

It was the defense that just so amazingly disappointing. This is suppose to be strength of our team. We have a veteran squad returning, with some strong athletes. But this group produced no pressure, turnovers and generally were man handled by OHIO, a MAC team.

This week has to be different in almost every way, but the keys are simple to me. First, we have to establish a running game, McGloin's arm is not going to win us game.

Second, we have to create pressure on defense, which includes rushing QB's to make decisions, sacking him a few times and not allowing a running game to be established by our opponent. And we must get a 1-2 turnovers.

As for our special teams, just being average would do, but they cannot have any turnovers.

This team has the talent to win this game, hopefully they are coached in a manner to do so and have the endurance to play a full 60 minutes.